


Half-Right

by skysedge



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: At everyone, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mostly Ranmaru is mad, Rated for his mouth, not quite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-05
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-07-07 09:42:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15905751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skysedge/pseuds/skysedge
Summary: Sometimes, when he's had three too many to drink and hates himself just enough, Ranmaru will check the messageboards online.





	1. Chapter 1

Every idol group has fans like this, he knows.  
  
**_One of them HAS to be gay!_**  
  
 And everyone has their theories. Sometimes, when he's had three too many to drink and hates himself just enough, Ranmaru will check the messageboards online. Results vary depending on their latest release but there's an underlying trend every time.  
  
The first guess is usually Reiji. Cute, cheerful, giver of nicknames, lover of samba, apparently these are all dead giveaways. The fans usually wish that he's happy so that's something at least.  
  
Ranmaru is surprised at how often the next most popular guess is not Ai but Camus. He's putting on an act, they say, overcompensating, and they're right in half of it. 'The butler is always gay,' a few point out with manga recommendations to prove it and Ranmaru is pretty sure he's been reading the wrong kind of manga his whole life if that's the case.  
  
Ai seems to be the easy guess. He's girly. Apparently that's enough. Having a high voice and pretty hair are clear signs he likes to take it up the ass, like it's just another personality trait. Right.  
  
There are never many people voting for Ranmaru himself. A few brave soldiers pose the idea that he's been such a womanizer he's now turned off of them for life and he's sort of flattered in a weird uncomfortable way. And ah, well, they're half right about that too.  
  
He slaps his laptop shut with a groan and reaches for another beer. That's about all he can handle for one night. Time to pass out sloppily on the couch and pretend he's still a hard-core rock and roll rebel.  
  
"Fuck."  
  
The beer has run out. To hell with that plan. He abandons the couch for the kitchen and a more sensible glass of water, cursing the healthy habits he's grown accustomed to.  
  
_**Ranmaru would look hot on his knees fufufu**_  
  
He almost chokes on his water remembering some of the things he's read during this month's miseryfest. Sometimes he has the urge to post himself, watch sparks fly, see if anyone takes him seriously. Probably not. Reality isn't quite as black and white as they hope.  
  
Ai is not gay. Ai is not straight. Ai likes keyboards and statistics. And he's fine just the way he is, as far as Ranmaru is concerned. Maybe he should ask the pretty little bastard to make him a spreadsheet with all of the theories, cook up some nice graphs.  
  
Camus is nowhere near as simple. Ranmaru doesn't have a fucking clue what goes on in that guy's head. Maybe his stage persona is a gay butler and his real personality is into simpering damsels. Or dominatrixes who can step on him. Whatever. Whichever. Ranmaru doesn't know and doesn't care.  
  
Reiji sambas both ways. Ranmaru knows because he'd flat out said it one night while they were sharing beers and a movie after work. Reiji couldn't decide if he wanted to make the lead actress swoon or fall into the lead actors arms himself and 'which would you pick, Ran-Ran?'.  
  
"Neither," he repeats for the glass of water. "They both look like shit."  
  
Reiji has tried to get an answer out of him for weeks and hasn't been subtle about it. He hasn't gone so far as to make a move but it had been touch and go a few times. Cheerful and cute he might be but the man is a demon in disguise when he wants something. Ranmaru thanks his unlucky stars that Reiji only wants an answer and not more from him.  
  
Probably. Hopefully.  
  
Because the problem is that while no, there's no cosmic law that says one of them _has_ to be gay one of them is anyway and that one happens to be Ranmaru Kurosaki, rockstar, asshole, beer drinking, steak loving, tough guy. Tough enough that no one questions his eyeliner, ever, and that what had started as a joke is now part of his signature look. Tough enough that only Reiji is brave or stupid enough to ask. Tough enough that he's going to open his laptop and-  
  
"Tch."  
  
And take some aspirin to ward of a hangover tomorrow like a good boy. Damnit.  
  
It's not like he even knows what he would say if he did decide to announce his private business to the world. As if the fans would even accept that yeah, he's been a womanizer, yeah okay, maybe he made some realizations a bit late, but he doesn't hate women, they didn't turn him gay, all they did was give him some damn trust issues he didn't need on top of everything else.  
  
It wouldn't make a good story, that's for sure. The fans would hate him. Shining would have his ass - _sweet mother of fuck no_ try again - would give him a talking to and he'd likely lose what successes he's managed to claw out from this shitshow.  
  
So no. He's not gonna say anything. Ever, probably. Can't date if you're an idol anyway. Great. What a world.  
  
He heads to bed with a heavy heart, having worn out his anger like a cheap pair of boots, ready to forget it all until the next time he chooses to do this to himself.  
  
He's dozing off when his phone sounds.  
  
"The fuck?"  
  
_**Not being able to sleep sucks, right? If I was outside with some drinks would you let me in?**_  
  
Reiji. At 3 in the fucking morning. There's persistent and then there's this. Either something is wrong or he's been severely underestimating Reiji's capacity for assholery.  
  
He tries to go back to sleep.  
  
_**It's not a hypothetical question by the way~ Your door has a crack in it, did you kick it?**_  
  
Sleep is a distant dream and Reiji is a near annoyance. But beer, right?  
  
"Rock and fucking roll," he mutters, hauls himself out of bed and heads for the door.  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The formatting is a bit messed up, sorry.

"Tada!"  
  
It’s asshole o’clock in the morning and Reiji’s exuberant voice is probably going to get Ranmaru evicted from the apartment block. Truthfully, Ranmaru had only been half-expecting for him to even be there but lo and behold, a certain maraca loving idiot is sitting on the floor opposite the front door, a grocery bag stuffed full of snacks and bottle at his feet. He’s wearing that bright grin that hurts to look at, the waves of his hair perfect as if the bastard hasn’t even tried to sleep.

"The hell d’you want?"

Ranmaru growls, not bothering to keep his own voice down either, and Reiji has the audacity to smile even more widely.

"It’s like magic~" he croons, getting to his feet. The bag rustles, the bottles rattle and Ranmaru is starting to realise what an idiot he’s been.

"What?" he asks, late, watching helplessly as his feet betray him and he moves to let Reiji step inside. "What is?"

"It’s a secret," Reiji winks as he passes. "I won’t say a word."

Right. Of course. Ranmaru doesn’t care about whatever shit Reiji is thinking, or about how the idiot is upending the bag over his kitchen counter, shoes kicked off haphazardly in the hall as if he owns the place. Reiji is always like this, all bubbles and rainbows and fucking sunshine, and Ranmaru doesn’t even want to think about what actually goes on behind all that. Especially not when its so late that its early and he’s still just drunk enough to admit that he cares.

He grimaces, shudders, and snatches a bottle from Reiji’s outstretched hand.

"Did you even go to bed?" he asks over the crack of the cap. "If you waited this long just to come piss me off I'll-"

"How late did you stay up when you were a teenager, Ran-Ran?"

Reiji interrupts his threat with an easy question and a tilt of the head that he probably thinks is cute. Just like the stupid fucking way he talks. Or his creepy hat collection. Or the way he just does this, barges in on someone else’s crisis and expects to be let in.

...which wouldn’t be wrong, Ranmaru realises. Fuck. And despite it all he finds himself really thinking about an answer and giving an honest one.

  
"Depends."

  
Reiji tilts his head the other way for more and Ranmaru scowls.

  
"On who I was with," he elaborates.

  
"Ooh?"

  
Reiji has three smiles. The polite professional. The gleeful idiot. And the pervert. Ranmaru throws himself onto the sofa and drinks rather than have to look too long at this one.

  
"If you came all the way here just to ask me stupid questions I'm gonna throw you out on your ass," he grumbles.

  
"No you wouldn't."

  
"Fucking try me."

  
Reiji flops down next to him, two bentos in one hand, a bottle in the other and a sealed pack of jerky in his mouth. Ranmaru grabs it with a murmur of _gross_ and opens it anyway.

  
"Actually," Reiji says. "I wanted you to help me answer a question of my own."

  
Ah? Maybe Reiji has crises of his own at regular 3am appointments. Ranmaru glances at him.

  
"Yeah?"

  
Reiji reaches into his jacket pocket.

  
"Tada!"

  
Ranmaru jumps at the sudden noise right in his face and it takes him a moment to see what Reiji is showing him.

  
"Say that again and I'll..." Oh. Seriously? "Reiji. Is that the dumb movie we watched before."

  
"I was thinking-"

  
"Did you actually buy it?"

  
"You could help me-"

  
"How old are you?"

  
"With the answer you gave me," Reiji finishes with a serene smile as if he hasn't been bulldozing the conversation. "I kept thinking about it."

  
The panic sets in gently, dulled by booze and weariness. If this had been hours earlier, Ranmaru would probably have picked a fight. Instead he stares dead ahead, lines from the messageboard whispering in his brain.

  
_**No way it could be Ranmaru-sama. Impossible. Think the others would know? Maybe he'll break this group up too wwwwwww.**_

  
Reiji taps him on the nose with a chopstick and carries on.

  
"I've realised that I agree with you but I can't work out why."

  
The whispers fall silent. Reiji wants help because... he doesn't want to fuck either of the leads in a shitty movie. It's so banal that Ranmaru can't hold back a laugh of relief.

  
"Is that even important?"

  
"So!" Reiji beams, ignoring him still. “If I recreate the exact setting from before then maybe I can work it out."

  
"That's stupid."

  
It is. Its also late. Early. Both. And it's also better than being alone. Damn. Reiji's puppy dog eyes are a bit much and so he at least pretends he hasn't already agreed.

  
"...I can't promise I'll stay awake."

  
"That's fine!"

  
"I snore like a pig."

  
"I know that already. Please?"

  
It's all a bit much. But it feels good, in a stupid, young sort of way. It feels good to hear someone other than himself.

  
"...fine."

 

 

"She really is super pretty, don't you think?"

  
Halfway through the movie and the food is gone, the beer has run dry and Ranmaru is slumping slowly sideways against the arm of the couch. He tries to focus on the screen, on the woman there who's all dressed up and emotional.

  
"Not really," he grunts.

  
"But she's a bit... " Reiji waves his hands around vaguely, eyes still bright. "You know."

  
Annoying. Dramatic. Female.

  
"I don't."

  
" _Spoilt_ ," Reiji decides with a snap of his fingers. "That's not cute. She doesn't appreciate his hard work at all."

  
"So she's like Camus."

  
Reiji gasps in a bad imitation of shock and smacks his arm.

  
"Be nice, Ran-Ran."

  
"No." Ranmaru pushes Reiji's hand away with a sleepy grunt and tries to make an effort. "So you don't like her cause she's a brat. Now what's wrong with him?"

  
He's tired enough that he imagines Reiji giving him a trademark idol wink. Probably.

  
"Let's find out."

  
Within five minutes, Ranmaru is half-asleep. He drifts on a happy dozy cloud, sinking down further into the sofa and kicking Reiji in the process. He only half-hears a reproachful whine and pays it no mind, too warm and comfortable to care. Bad epic music plays from the TV, Ranmaru hears himself start to snore and there's the warm weight of a hand resting on his ankle.

  
Weird. But nice weird. How long has it been since he's been this relaxed in someone's company? He doesn't want to remember. He's partially dreaming that Shining has burst in the door and fired them both for a _Scandalous Ankle Moment Mister Kurosaki_ when Reiji shouts and ruins everything.

  
"I've got it!"

  
Once Ranmaru has finished coughing to cover up a strangled yelp of surprise, he heaves a sigh.

  
"Fucking hell, keep it down would ya?"

  
"He's too easy," Reiji says, paying no attention.

  
He's not curious. He doesn't want to be curious. It's just that hearing someone else casually talk about liking dudes is...nice. He chews on his tongue for a moment and then gives in.

  
"...yeah?"

  
Reiji hasn't noticed his hesitance, too busy waving his hands around as he explains.

  
"Mm, he's cute but it's like..."

  
He pauses and turns, looking Ranmaru dead in the eye and giving his ankle a squeeze.

  
"If I was to say 'hey, hero. Hold me okay?' he would."

  
And Ranmaru realises that maybe he would as well. If he was tired, warm and a little bit drunk. If he hated himself enough to act stupid. But right now, relaxed and full of Kotobuki cooking, he doesn't hate himself much at all and so even though Reiji's hand is warm and his hair soft and his eyes lit with a challenge, Ranmaru doesn't move at all. He's never been a hero anyway.

  
"...right."

  
The moment passes and Reiji looks back to the screen with a nod as if he's reached a decision.

  
"I like my girls super sweet but men should have a bit of fight in 'em."

  
The stupid movie. Right. They had been doing this for a reason. Pulling himself back into a sitting position, Ranmaru stretches his arms high above his head and tries to stop being stupid.

  
"Nn. Yeah." He clears his throat. "I get that. So you don't wanna fuck either of 'em after all?"

  
"Nope! What about you? Changed your mind?"

  
His mind hadn't been made up to begin with. He hadn't given it any thought at all. His mind drifts back to the messageboard and he cracks a smile.

  
**It's always the quiet ones!**  
**I bet Reiji is a secret deviant**  
**Scary when he's serious wwwwww**

  
If Reiji has taught him anything it's that the nice guys don't always finish last.

  
"...I reckon he's got more fight in him than you'd think."

  
Ranmaru smiles vaguely, glancing at the credits now rolling on the screen. Strange how he feels both calm and on edge. He rolls an empty beer bottle under his foot and takes a breath.

  
"I'd give him a go if I had nothing better to do," he says.

  
Do or die. Now or never. Rock and roll. Or something, something honest and embarrassing and true, something he could probably call friendship. He presses his foot on the glass and waits to laugh it off, to make an excuse, but he doesn't need to. When he finally glances up it's to find Reiji just watching him with a smile. His silence now says more than all of his chatter before.  
It's fine. Ranmaru snorts a laugh and kicks the bottle away.

  
"He probably cries after sex though," he says. "Which is pretty much the worst boner killer."

  
"Right?" Reiji laughs. "Maybe leave straight after?"

  
"Right."

  
Without the movie playing, the silence stretches. Ranmaru feels the change a moment too late and makes the mistake of looking Reiji in the eye.

  
"Hey, Ran-Ran?" he says quietly, his smile soft.

  
"Yeah?"

  
"Hold me okay?"

  
The DVD player clicks and turns itself off. Water drips from the kitchen tap into the sink. Ranmaru's heart beats a steady pulse right down to the tips of his fingers. And then he grins and gets to his feet.

  
"Tch. Gotta try harder than that."

  
Reiji hesitates for an instant and then follows suit with a smile that's downright dangerous.

  
"Oh yeah?" He gives a nod. "Good."

  
And somehow things are normal. Reiji tidies his things and leaves as if it's not definitely Tomorrow and they haven't just had the sort of understanding that means Shining will bug both their apartments and keep tabs on them. Ranmaru is left staring at nothing in the living room, feeling both young and old at once.

  
He opens his laptop, stares at it for a few moments and then shuts it down. What a waste of effort, even worrying about that shit. He flops back into bed and a comfortable exhaustion weighs him down. This time, his phone stays quiet.

  
_Good_ , Reiji had said. Maybe. Maybe it's not half-bad.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How did this get so long. What even is this fic.\\(:D)/

**Author's Note:**

> ...and the fic is only half-written. Posted in the hopes it'll spur me into finishing it.


End file.
